Vick Sits Out Today; Andy Says He'll Play

Eagles coach Andy Reid said Michael Vick was throwing this morning at the team's walkthrough and he is confident that Vick will play Sunday against the New York Jets.

Vick's ribs remain sore, as he indicated in an interview yesterday with the team's website. Reid indicated he thought Vick might practice this afternoon -- "We'll just see how things go today," Reid said -- but when practice began, Vick was back in the nonhelmeted, stocking cap mode that he assumed through much of his three-week rib injiury absence. It seemed he would not practice.

Reid conceded that Vick might be forcing the ball in some situations, leading to turnovers.

Vick usually speaks to reporters during the locker room session before practice on Wednesdays, but an Eagles spokesman said he was with head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder today and wouldn't be available.

* Todd Herremans (ankle), Cullen Jenkins (groin) and Jeremy Maclin (hamstring) all took part in the morning walkthrough and are expected to play. But only Maclin brought a helmet to practice. Maclin was listed as limited; the others were out.

* Reid said he had no regrets about signing Steve Smith, who was placed on injured reserve Monday with problems in his surgically repaired knee. Reid said the Eagles knew it normally took a year for a player to recover from microfracture surgery and that Smith will eventually be fine. He said Smith, who caught 11 passes on the season, gave the Eagles "some good downs."

* Reid said defensive tackle Cedric Thornton is a good young player who has "worked his tail off." Thornton was promoted from the practice squad when Smith was placed on IR. Thornton said he is ready to go and won't be rusty, despite not having played since the preason.

* The Eagles do not expect much today from Darryl Tapp, who broke a rib Sunday against Miami. He was the only player limited at the morning walkthrough.

* Reid said Brandon Graham looked better last week than he did the week before, a sign of progress. Graham also is recovering from microfracture surgery. Graham said today he feels he's back to normal. He said he knows people are comparing him unfavorably to the Giants' Jason Pierre-Paul, who was available when Graham was drafted in the 2010 first round, but all he can do is wait for his chance to prove his worth.

* Reid said Rex and Rob Ryan share some defensive concepts, but have different wrinkles and different personnel. In a conference call today with Philadelphia-area reporters, Rex joked that he was not planning to verbally challenge the Eagles the way his brother, Rob, the Cowboys' defensive coordinator did, before the Birds' 34-7 victory in October.

*Joselio Hanson and Trent Cole got fine envelopes from the NFL today, for hits on Miami quarterbacks Sunday. Cole was fined $7,500. Hanson did not disclose the amount of his fine, but said he felt it was unfair and that he would appeal. Hanson said he leaped to try to block a J.P. Losman pass and made contact with Losman's helmet when he came down; Hanson took issue with the conclusion that he "launched himself" at Losman. Cole's fine was expected, since he was penalized for a low QB hit Sunday, which usually draws a fine.

*Colt Anderson, his season ended by ACL surgery, was back at NovaCare, in a large brace, walking with a cane. Anderson said he was doing well.